


Melos

by grossnoona



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: I'm going to be honest I don't know what kind of AU this is, M/M, Sakyo nearly dies from Hypothermia (just a heads up), alternative universe, unbeta bc we die like men here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 10:45:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18754873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grossnoona/pseuds/grossnoona
Summary: Omi finds a man, dressed loosely, passed out on top of his own car. His breathing is shallow, his skin flushed and more importantly, he felt cold. Omi finds it strange to find such a traveler in such an obscure situation, for a moment, he wanted to laugh at the obscurity of this traveler.But what stops him from laughing was how the traveler leaned into his touch. Yearning from some sort of warmth, Omi feels perplexed. For a moment, Omi considers his choices but alas, just as he always told, his kindness takes pity on the traveler. With help from his men, they take the traveler back to their village.Omi counts the shallow breaths of the traveler.“He’ll live.”





	Melos

**Author's Note:**

> Hi hi! Grossnoona here!  
> Went stupid and wrote a story based of the [Wednesday Campanella MV, Melos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qPSHOTzidw)  
> Although I'm going, to be honest, I don't know where I was going but it was fun to write!  
> This is also like the longest fic I've written imo (discounting; my ainana fic which I'm still writing)  
> I don't really have their characters down so spare me!!  
> Regardless I hope you enjoy!!

_ It’s cold. _

 

_ Sakyo feels cold, his body temperature may be rising but everything around him feels too cold for comfort. He breathes heavily; exhausted and drained to the bone. His eyes are bleary, they feel heavy and he can’t bear the idea of opening them one last time. _

 

_ Everything around him has turned him hyperaware; the sound of the wind blowing heavily as the sand sing beautifully into the open air. He hears, from a distance, galloping but he can’t tell if that’s just a figment of his imagination as he rests one last time or that maybe God just telling him to give himself another chance. Regardless, it echoes loudly. Magically, it becomes a beautiful song along with the singing sand dunes. _

 

_ He feels as though, he doesn’t mind if he were to die in this kind of state. _

 

_ Not that he can even remember how he even got here in the first place. _

  
  


**Omi finds a man dressed loosely, passed out on top of his own car. His breathing is shallow, his skin flushed and more importantly, he felt cold. Omi finds it strange to find such a traveler in such an obscure situation, for a moment, he wanted to laugh at the obscurity of this traveler.**

 

**But what stops him from laughing was how the traveler leaned into his touch. Yearning from some sort of warmth, Omi feels perplexed. For a moment, Omi considers his choices but alas, just as he always told, his kindness takes pity on the traveler. With help from his men, they take the traveler back to their village.**

 

**Omi counts the shallow breaths of the traveler.**

 

**“He’ll live.”**

  
  


It’s warm. Sakyo feels extremely warm.

 

But it’s not the kind where you feel like you’re melting. It’s the kind where you feel warm; like a mother’s hug. It’s comfortable and soothing.

 

So this is what the after-life feels like, huh?

 

Not exactly what he expected but better than freezing from hypothermia in that cold desert night. Actually, anything could be better than that cold desert night now that Sakyo thought about it. He never thought he’d accept his death as easy as this. Maybe his family back at home will cry or maybe they worry. After all, he isn’t so sure how he got to that desert.

 

All he remembers was driving.

 

Damp. Something damp is on his forehead, it’s warm and soft like a damp towel.

 

Sakyo blearily opens his eyes, he wakes up to a person looking over him. He looks young, younger than Sakyo. He gazes Sakyo lazily as he hums a tune Sakyo cannot recognize. It sounds sweet like a nursery rhyme or maybe a lullaby you hear a mother play. Regardless, Sakyo relaxes at the sound of it. Almost automatically.

 

“I’m going to get the chief. You stay put,” the young boy warns him. It was a tough command but it wasn’t like Sakyo could just up and leave in his current condition. He could barely feel his body or anything. He could only hear and feel the warmth from the damp towel on his head.

 

He hears talking, it seems that the young boy has returned with  _ the chief _ and maybe a few others.

 

Sakyo hears footsteps and someone leans in close to check on him. He can’t tell who it is though, he can barely open his eyes now. They feel heavy, his body is probably warming up but he’s too tired to bring himself to try to get rid of it. Everything feels heavy and dizzy for him, he hears someone speaking to him from a distance but alas, he can’t hear it clear enough to know what they’re saying. He feels himself drifting back to sleep.

 

When Sakyo wakes up again, he sees that young boy again. He looks displeased by Sakyo’s awakening. Is he bothering something? He isn’t so sure anymore.

 

“Ah, you’re  _ finally awake _ ,” the young boy speaks in a tired fashion. He seems to have been waiting for Sakyo to finally wake up. As he approaches closer, Sakyo spots a cup and a spoon in the other’s hands. From just smell, Sakyo concluded it had a sweet smell.

 

The young boy orders him to drink the sweet beverage, he mentions how it’ll help him feel better as he feeds Sakyo. He sighs occasionally and asks Sakyo simple questions that Sakyo can answer with a nod or a headshake. It seems the younger was curious to what has led Sakyo to be in such a question but to be honest, Sakyo isn’t so sure either. He can’t remember anything at all. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t recall anything that led him into such a situation.

 

“So Banri was right,” the young boy says. He seems to be talking to himself. Whoever this Banri person is, he seems to be right or at least according to the young boy.

 

Despite drinking it halfway, Sakyo begins to feel less conscious. Almost as if the sugar in the beverage was sapping his energy. He mumbles to the young boy who leans in and asks him, as nicely as he can, to repeat the sentence. Sakyo tries to but it seems his voice was even harder to hear the second time. The young boy had given up and relays that Sakyo could repeat it again once he felt better.

 

“He’s been out for maybe a couple of hours,” the young boy shrugs to another man, he’s tall and stiff. Accompany the younger as they watch Sakyo rest uncomfortably. They talk quietly, attempting to not disturb him.

 

“I don’t think he’ll live.” The young boy looks displeased by it. It’s not like he isn’t used to the sight of someone dying peacefully in their sleep but rather he’s displeased by the fact Sakyo might not ever wake up and that he might just be wasting his time, watching over the other carefully. The other man pats the young boy and offers him comfort as they stand on guard. They both don’t think Sakyo will live but they wish to be proven wrong.  _ Just for this once, Azami and Juza don’t want to wake up to cold body ridden with rigor mortis. _

 

It takes Sakyo maybe a day or two to finally wake up.

 

He wakes up to talking, two hushed voices discussing with an exasperated one. They seem to be discussing about Sakyo? It sounds like it, they’re referring to him as a traveler.

 

“You sure he isn’t going to live?” the exasperated voice asks, he sounds tired and drained from work. Maybe he had things to do and Sakyo was one of the major issues he’s had. Is he the chief? Sakyo can’t be entirely sure.

 

“He hasn’t woken up for two days straight,” a low stiff voice answers. He sounds worried over Sakyo’s being. He continues to explain how they tried feeding him some of the sweet water but alas, Sakyo never properly drank it. He seemed completely limped and had such shallow breathing it almost felt like he wasn’t even alive anymore. The young boy’s voice chimed in and says he wants to believe that wasn’t true.

 

“Did you feel a pulse?” the exasperated voice sounded skeptical but he seemed to understand the young boy’s frustration. It seemed the death of travelers were common around here and that the young boy was tired of watching them die.

 

The young boy replies that it felt weak. It felt like Sakyo could barely make it and if he did, it’d be considered a miracle. The three of them continue talking solemnly, they talk about how they’re not sure how to relay it to the chief. They don’t want to hold another funeral anymore. They’re tired of watching people die.

 

_ “Like a group of death gods, they are.” Sakyo wanted to say. He hears them say their prayers and the exasperated one bid goodbye to the other two. Now that Sakyo thought about it, they all sounded younger than him. They sounded like kids. Kids who had to bear the sight of death every day. Sakyo pitied them. _

 

Sakyo tries to let out a noise.

 

It was a small grunt but it was enough to alert the young boy. Sakyo hears quick footsteps and a stumble, accompanied by a small stream of swearing. It seemed the young boy didn’t believe it. Sakyo was awake. Sakyo was alive, he was  **_going to live_ ** .

 

“You’re, you’re awake?” the young boy stutters out. He sounds nervous as if he’s never seen it happened before. Sakyo tries to focus on the younger as he mumbles to himself about what he should do. He rambles a little about how he should inform the rest without leaving Sakyo unattended. Sakyo attempts to tell him that he’s fine but the young boy only looks at him in confusion before nodding slowly as if that was a way to stop Sakyo from talking. What a bluff, he knows the other doesn’t get it at all.

 

Sakyo tries to sit up with the help of the younger. He drinks some of the sweet water and tries to adjust to the hoarseness of his voice. His throat dry, he still feels limp and tired. But he tries to push it aside for the kid in front of him who watches him in a careful calculation and thought. Sakyo could tell the young boy was trying to suppress his worries and nervousness but it was no use. His eyes look like they were shaking and following every movement Sakyo made, it was an obvious sign of nervousness despite his overall composed demeanor.

 

“Go get help, I’ll be fine.” Sakyo watches the other quickly gets up and leaves. He hears the young boy scream for that  _ Banri _ person and the chief. He looks around for his glasses. With just the sense of touch and an aching body, he uses his hands to find his glasses. After finding them, he leans against the wall as he hears footsteps which leads him to wonder how bad in shape was he for him to send higher-ups from a village, in such a perplex state. He must look like shit right now, then.

 

Closing his eyes for a moment, he hears the sound of the door flapping open. He hears someone approaching him, his steps soft but heavy each step he takes.

 

“Are you alright?” His voice warm and assuring, Sakyo opens one eye to see such soft but sculpted face. Finally properly opening his eyes again, he blinks away any bleariness as others watch him in worry.

 

“Enough. Alright enough,” Sakyo answers him. Sakyo watches the other’s eyes lit up and sigh in relief. It seemed he caused more trouble than he wanted. He tries to apologizes but is quickly reassured that the other is only worried because he didn’t think someone as small as Sakyo would survive.

 

_ “Small?”  _

 

He hears a man with light brown hair snicker as a tall purple-haired man glares at him.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I should’ve introduced myself; I’m the Chief but you can call me Omi.” Omi introduces himself with a handshake offer. Sakyo takes Omi’s hand and shakes it as firmly as he can. Omi laughs at how Sakyo tries to firmly assure the handshake.

 

Omi introduces Sakyo to the others who helped him; Azami is the name of the young boy who has been watching over him, Juza is the name of the purple-haired man whose voice Sakyo recognized as the second hushed voice earlier, Banri is the snickering light brown haired man and Taichi is the red-haired boy that Sakyo could not fully recall seeing but he does vaguely remember his voice. Maybe another one of the boys Azami spoke to while he watched over Sakyo. Regardless, after getting a better look at them, they were all significantly younger than Omi and Sakyo. Such young boys that helped him.

 

He expresses his gratitude with a bow.

 

They accept it with much gratitude and express their relief of seeing Sakyo awake. They urge him to stay for a while just so he could fully heal. Sakyo expresses his gratitude and accepts the offer. He has nowhere to go so having a roof above his head is better than tracking in the sand dunes and collapsing out of exhaustion. He watches the boys behind Omi look at Sakyo in relief.

 

Their village is relatively small. Not a lot of people live here but enough to keep a tight-knit community. They greet Omi and the pack of boys follows him closely as if he raised them. Maybe he did, Sakyo thought to himself. 

 

The community is nice, they greet Sakyo every time he passes by. He doesn’t entirely blend in due to his clothes but they seem to think his clothes are trivial matters as they greet him like an old friend. Omi claims that they take a strong liking for Sakyo’s tough personality that clashes well with the village’s strategist; Banri. Sakyo scoffs at how Omi puts a child as a strategist but Omi tells him he’s smarter than he looks.

 

“ _ Those four, they don’t really have anywhere to go. _ ”

 

Omi explains how he found each and every one of them. He talks about how he didn’t find Taichi but  _ Taichi found him instead _ ; lost and confused child arriving at such a village. He talks about finding Banri, scrapped and vicious child; not giving Omi a chance to enter in such a closed-off heart. He talks about finding Juza, quiet and hopeless child; nowhere to go home, Omi took him in to give him all the love he needed. He talks about finding Azami, among the broken houses in a nearby village, crying and scared baby; Omi always looked worried when it came to taking care of him. The four of them grew up to have the inhabitants of the village and only them as their family. They stuck close to Omi like a parent; bothering him and caring for him whether it’d be unnecessary or not.

 

Sakyo took it all in, hearing all of that.

 

Sakyo looks over to those four boys, Banri and Juza jabbing at each other as Azami laughed and Taichi watched in worry. They really do only have each other. Sakyo tells Omi how important he must be to them, taking them in and raising them into the men they are today. Omi makes a joke about how only Azami is not a man yet, he’s still young. After all, the other boys still regard him as a child--a baby even. Banri still makes jokes about Azami wetting beds or throwing tantrums despite him being 15 this year.

 

“Banri must be no different then,” Sakyo scoffs. He hears Omi laugh in agreement, Banri and Azami are similar in personality but are different in skills. They work well together, always up to no good that leaves Juza and Taichi apologizing profusely for their antics. Taichi is a bit of the glue though, Sakyo muses at the thought. He keeps them all in check, how difficult it must be for him to always keep tabs on meddlesome children while being a child himself.

 

“They keep tabs on each other,” Omi corrects.

 

Taichi is a bit troublesome as well; always running off to do things and never coming back on time, leaving the other three chasing after him. Juza also runs off but everyone always knows where he is; eating confectionary from the village's baker. Banri scolds him endlessly which leads to a fight that Azami and Taichi have to stop. They look after each other. Like idiot brothers they all are.

 

**_A group of lost boys; those four wander hand in hand. They stick together, afraid of the day one breaks apart from the others._ **

 

**_A group of lost boys, Sakyo thought. They follow Omi like the Lost Boys follow Peter Pan; regarding him as their leader. Together hand in hand, they march into the future, hoping no one lets go of their hand._ **

 

Omi helps Sakyo get used to the village. He teaches him a couple of things about the village; the traditions they do, the prayers they have and everything else you needed to know. Omi taught him closely as the four peered at them in curiosity. Despite that, Sakyo enjoyed it. He enjoyed listening and attempting to play the music the village had. He didn’t mean trying to learn some of the craft they made with Azami jokingly scolding both Omi and Sakyo at their lack of creativity. Sakyo’s ones are always poorly but it seems Omi takes a liking in them. Azami gags at the sight of Omi gush at Sakyo’s skills.

 

It’s been about a week, Sakyo has fully healed and is well.

 

“He’s a sap for you,” Banri tells him over a game of checkers. Banri is definitely smarter than he looks but Sakyo isn’t stupid. The game isn’t hard and chances of him winning against Banri seemed to be rather murky no matter how the other or him try to calculate. Banri seems to be excited over the fact, he’s found someone to play with.

 

“If this is a bluff to distract me, this isn’t going to happen.” Sakyo is cold to him. Banri rolls his eyes and scoffs at how lowly Sakyo perceives him.

 

“I’m not  _ that shallow _ . Don’t look down on me, old man.” Banri mocks him. Banri is childish no matter how hard you try to see the genius in him. He’s still a childish 19 year old no matter what. Mischievous boy fresh out of adolescent, trying to look all tough. Sakyo mocks him about as the other scoffs and calls Sakyo childish for an old man.

 

“Regardless, I’m serious. Omi is a sap for you and it bugs me,” Banri explains. He continues to tell Sakyo how it seems the other gets distracted when Banri talks about strategies or problems with the village that Banri could hold a discussion between himself and a broom easier than discussing with Omi. It’s disgusting, Banri’s expression says.

 

“So that’s why you’ve been asking for advice from me, a complete stranger than your chief, who raised you.” Sakyo quirks an eyebrow. Banri sighs as he places a chip onto the board, it seems Banri will be winning this round.

 

He rants about he isn’t bothered by Omi acting like a sap but rather it seems the other has been hiding something. Banri isn’t so sure but he is definitely not the only one bothered. He mentions Taichi expressing his concerns and Juza approaching Omi, asking him if he was alright. Azami doesn’t say anything but his face shows concern even if no one realises it.

 

Sakyo gets it.

 

Even though, he’s only been here for a week, he can feel the sense of Omi drifting away. It’s almost as if he wants to set out without anyone knowing. Sakyo feels pity for those four; they look in worry over their chief. He’s hiding something, Sakyo doesn’t know but just judging by Banri’s worried face, it was something bigger than Sakyo could even dare think of.

 

“I think he’s going to run away.” Taichi looks indifferent compared to the other three. He mentions something about how he expected it. He isn’t so sure why but he expected it. He tells Sakyo about a funny dream he had; a dream where Omi was riding off. He never looked back at the village, he just  _ kept going forward _ . Not even once. Taichi just vaguely remembers himself staring at Omi who got smaller and smaller. It was a stupid dream, Taichi would laugh it off.

 

“They call me the village’s Oracle, you know?” Taichi jokes. Despite the joking laugh he has, it felt like he was worried that he was right. It seemed he has been right about previous times before. He explains how he was good at it so the village regarded him as their Oracle but he thinks it’s a burden. What good can someone who only warns you of the bad can do? He’s definitely not like the other three.

 

“I don’t think it’s that bad but it can definitely be troublesome.”

 

Taichi shrugs at Sakyo, he just wished there was a way to prevent such a fate. Sakyo agrees as Taichi offers him food. They sit there, quietly. Sakyo comforts Taichi as he tells stories about when those four boys were younger. Running and causing a ruckus in such a small village.

 

“You’ve been getting along well with them,” Omi muses as Sakyo bandages his knuckles. He decided to spar with Juza. He’s tough and is in charge of defense despite being such a soft man in reality. It’s ironic, Sakyo thinks to himself.

 

“Scared I’ll take your sons away?” Sakyo jabs at him.

 

Omi laughs and shows his hands up in surrender. He explains how it wasn’t the case and that he was more than happy to see Sakyo get along with those four. They don’t tend to like adults; in fact, unless it’s Omi, they tend to despise them. Maybe Juza is an exception as he doesn’t always despise adults but the other three can vary.

 

“I think I can see that with Banri, he looks lethal against other people,” Sakyo admits. He’s lucky enough to just throw jabs between him and the bratty 19 year old. Despite it all, he’s still dangerous. He looks like he would commit murder if provoked enough. Omi begs to differ as Banri isn’t as lethal as he looks. Sakyo is skeptical over such a statement.

 

They talk for a long while. Sakyo has lost sense of time when he speaks with Omi. They don’t talk much about important things like chief duties or traditions; instead, they talk about mindless things. They talk about Sakyo’s time sparring with Juza, Omi losing against Banri in another round of checkers. Many more things that Sakyo has lost count.

 

Omi always talks about how Sakyo wraps his bandages rather loosely and offers to tighten them better. He talks about how every time he sees Sakyo he gets taken back by how jarring his appearance and personality can be. Sakyo quirks an eyebrow and urges the other to explain what he means.

 

“ _ Aha, _ you can be pretty scary sometimes,” Omi begins. He ties Sakyo bandages tighter, it hurts a little but Sakyo can bear such a small sting. Omi hums a little more before he continues; he says Sakyo is scary to go head to head with lethal people. Not just Banri but others as well, scolding them relentlessly when they cause trouble.

 

“You mean  _ Old Man Nagging _ ?”

 

“Oh, so you heard what Azami calls it,” Omi laughs. Sakyo makes a comment how he overheard and scolded him for making such a crude statement as Azami groaned. Omi can imagine, Azami doesn’t like being scolded consistently and because of this, he may actually start to  _ loathe _ Sakyo. What a strange 15 year old.

 

Sakyo and Omi spend the night together, talking about thoughtless things. The inhabitants of the village long asleep while the two of them exchange thoughts. Sakyo smiles as he watch Omi talk about himself as a teenager. Sakyo makes snarky remarks as Omi flails around attempting to protest such statements. Sakyo laughs at the attempts and finds it endearing.

 

“ _ Endearing? _ ” Omi echoes. It’s almost as if he stopped thinking.

 

Sakyo nods, watching Omi go blank makes him feel a little embarrassed. The way red creeps up to his cheek as he tries to let out a voice but nothing seems to be coming out. He just sits there, trying to register everything.

 

Sakyo laughs at it--no,  _ laughing doesn’t cover it _ . He’s  **_clackling_ ** . It’s bursts of laughter as Omi tries to hush Sakyo. Sakyo calms down after awhile, he just assumed Omi was used to being complimented or regarded highly so being told his flailing is endearing seemed something small. Omi seem dissatisfied by Sakyo’s defense. What a horrible traveler, Omi has met.

 

“You’re definitely far more different than I expected, Sakyo,” Omi says. He sounds soft, like he’s surprised that for once, he met something he couldn’t really understand. What a strange chief, Sakyo thought.

 

They stay quiet like that, only the lamp giving its thoughts in forms of crackling. The Omi in front of him is no longer Omi, the Chief of the village. He’s just Omi, a man who flails and turns into a mother hen at the sight of children. He holds no responsibilities, he’s just himself. The bumbling fool that Sakyo finds foolish and endearing to be with. Omi just sits there, in front of him, deep in thought.

 

“Well, it’s time for bed,” Sakyo announces. Omi agrees quickly, getting up to leave Sakyo’s tent.

 

For a moment, Sakyo feels like he won’t have a chance to do it. He beckons Omi over for a short while. Omi comes close to see what Sakyo needed, though it takes a moment for Sakyo think it about it. He thinks biting the bullet isn’t so bad once in a while.

 

_ It was small.  _

 

_ Maybe a peck but it didn’t matter. _

 

_ He didn’t think Omi’s lips would be soft. _

 

Omi looks like a fish out of water. He stutters out a goodnight as he stumbles out of the tent, Sakyo laughs at the sight. He sees Banri passing by, he tries to advert attention from the brown-haired teenager but alas, it seems he’s being glared at.

 

“ _ Weirdos. _ ”

 

_ When tomorrow it arrives, Taichi’s dream was right.  _

 

Sakyo can’t tell if he had fail to realise Omi’s departure or the fate of Omi leaving was that difficult to stop. He’s starting to wonder if he should’ve realized sooner, then maybe it would be preventable. Taichi looks disappointed, Banri’s trying to process the entire shitstorm that just happened, Juza looks hurt and Azami, he looks like he despises Omi already.

 

“So we have no clue where he went?” Banri spits out the question. Just as Sakyo thought, Banri really can be lethal. He sounds venomous as he tries to remember any signs of Omi leaving besides his wavering presence. Alas, none of the villagers recall Omi mentioning of a destination or even the slightest hint of him leaving.

 

“Sakyo,” Juza begged.

 

Sakyo can’t remember anything either. The entire time he spent with Omi was just them idly talking about each other’s lives. The small fragments of memories Sakyo can recall but nothing beyond goes that. Or at least nothing that is worth telling to the rest.

 

“He’s chasing after his future.” Azami doesn’t looks like he wants to be part of the conversation but he chips in anyway. He stands there, disappointed at his own words as everyone else try to coax him to explain what he means.

 

“Omi must’ve no longer wanted to be chief anymore,” Taichi guessed. They all look like they’ve caused unwanted trouble to Omi. Omi, the nice man who took in a group of children with nowhere to go. He left them a home to take care of because he felt that he no longer needed to. Sakyo still doesn’t quite get it. Omi definitely doesn’t believe those four are fit to lead just yet, they’re too young. It’d be too much of a burden to watch these four to try and take care of the village by themselves.

 

_ They’re too young, too fragile. The world is too big for them to handle.  _

 

_ Sakyo thinks that isn’t something Omi would do. He doesn’t want to say Omi is a coward either but what else could you call someone who runs away from their responsibilities? _

 

_ All they could be called is a  _ **_foolish coward_ **

 

Sakyo stands up. The rest of villagers look at him in confusion, they whisper to each other about what Sakyo could chip in. He doesn’t know Omi as well as the rest. That’s true but he has good gut instincts. He’ll bet on that.

 

“Taichi, you mentioned this happened in a dream. Figuratively, do you know which direction he’ll go?” 

 

Taichi ponders for awhile, he didn’t think of it in that sense. He mentions a rough direction; to the east. The same way Sakyo came from. Sakyo didn’t mind taking risks as long he had a rough guide on where he could go.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Banri nags him. 

 

How ironic, what a switch on roles.

 

“Finding your chief, what else?” Sakyo shoots back.

 

Sakyo sees Banri grit his teeth. He orders Juza and Azami to follow. He doesn’t want Sakyo to do it alone. He mentions how it’s better to travel in a pack so at least if someone falls back, there will at least be someone else to catch them. Sakyo is stunned by Banri’s sudden ability to lead.

 

Juza, on the other hand, protests about how Banri and Taichi would stay back.

 

“Well, who else will be watching this place if  _ all four of us fucking went _ ? You think Taichi and I don’t want to go?” Banri snaps. He proceeds to talk about how the village would be in  _ fucking shambles _ without anyone around. Taichi and Azami agree at the statement. Truly, among all four of them, it seems Banri was regarded as their eldest brother.

 

“Besides, A-chan should follow instead. He’s better at medicine than I am.” Taichi expresses his thoughts before Azami could even protest. Taichi was right in that sense, Azami was the medic who helped Sakyo. If Omi was to turn up in Sakyo’s condition, Azami would be able to help.

 

They leave on the day itself; riding their horses to the east. They bid goodbye to Banri and Taichi who shout their wishes, hoping it’d be conveyed to Omi.

 

They spend two days finding the chief, he went further than expected. Sakyo urges to continue while the pack push forward. The clouds gave them some hope to strive forward. Desperately, they look for their chief who left with no clue. Together, they all seek out for him.

 

_ They reach the near abouts of where they first found Sakyo. _

 

_ This particular region has always been slightly colder than the rest. Even in their warm clothing, some shiver as they approach the abandoned car. Sakyo however, does not shiver. He hears Azami note about how freaky it is for Sakyo not to shiver even a little. He doesn’t mind it, maybe because he spent so long shivering those nights before he had met Omi and his village. It doesn’t quite affect him that much anymore. _

 

_ He sees a figure leaning against the abandoned car.  _

 

_ He shivers slightly and coughs. He looks limp from being in the sun for too long. He has spent far too long out, chasing god knows what. It seemed childish for him to run off like that. He’s similar to his kids in that sense; running off with no proper clue as the others chase after them. It’s ridiculous, Sakyo laughs at it. _

 

_ “You’re ridiculous,” Sakyo scolds. _

 

_ Omi looks up and smiles weakly. _

 

Sakyo helps him up and wraps him with a big shawl. Omi leans into Sakyo, breathing heavily as the others ask him if he’s alright. He tries to reassure everyone that he’s fine but it was shortly proven wrong when Juza punches him square in the gut. Azami nags him relentlessly about running away and how it caused trouble for everyone. Sakyo laughs as Omi uses him as support.

 

They ride home, Omi leaning against Sakyo.

 

“Banri went haywire and took charge without thinking, you know that?” Sakyo tells him. Omi looks confused being told such a thing, he didn’t think Banri would jump to such a position with no hesitation. Sakyo corrected him; Banri had no choice. He spent the most time working out plans with Omi. He knew how to run the show so he gritted his teeth and took on the position.

 

Omi felt sorry for running off. He could see Azami and Juza’s distress when they found him but he can’t bear the thought of seeing Banri and Taichi.

 

“Banri’s lethal and Taichi; his sadness gets spread like a disease,” Omi mops.

 

Sakyo laughs and calls it a well-deserving punishment for running off. Omi whines a little before he admits defeat. Sakyo doesn’t plan on asking why he ran off anytime soon but judging by the faces of Azami and Juza, they’ll squeeze it out of him soon enough. Maybe he should offer comfort after getting scrutinized by them.

 

**_For now, feeling Omi clinging onto him as they ride back home is enough._ **

**Author's Note:**

> Hm I had fun writing this fic even tho I had to read so many stories to get a proper grip of everyone and rewatch Melos like 9000000000 times.   
> Things I do for fanfiction, I tell you  
> Anyway, thank you for reading!


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